Joaquin Phoenix recalled having talks with Christopher Nolan about playing The Joker in 2008’s ‘The Dark Knight.’ during a recent appearance on ‘Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin.’
“I remember I talked to Chris Nolan about ‘The Dark Knight,’ and that didn’t happen for whatever reason,” the actor shared. “I wasn’t ready then. That’s one of those things where it’s like, ‘What is in me that’s not doing this?’ And it’s not about me. There’s something else. There’s another person who is going to do something.”
Heath Ledger ended up playing the villain in Nolan’s movie instead and posthumously earned an Oscar for his performance. Years later, Phoenix appeared as a different version of the character in Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker.’ He also bagged an Academy Award for the DC role.
A recent report from The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Phoenix’s Joker was initially set to carve a smile into his face in the 2019 movie, much like Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight.’ Nolan, however, pushed the studio away from the idea, as it mirrored the ending of his adaptation.
With Nolan no longer involved with Warner Bros., Phillips took the opportunity to bring the concept back. In the 2024 sequel ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ another character ended the film by carving a smile into his face.
The sequel’s ending implied that Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was only an inspiration for the real Joker’s creation and caused controversy among fans. As a result, the film received poor reviews both from critics and the audience. Phillips later confirmed he wouldn’t return for another followup.
